Original Word: מָהַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: mahar
Pronunciation: mah-har'
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-har')
KJV: be carried headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily), (be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) X quickly, rash, X shortly, (be so) X soon, make speed, X speedily, X straightway, X suddenly, swift
NASB: quickly, hurried, hurry, hasten, swift, bring quickly, haste
Word Origin: [a primitive root]
1. (properly) to be liquid or flow easily
2. (by implication)
3. to hurry (in a good or a bad sense)
4. often used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly
A primitive root; properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly -- be carried headlong, fearful, (cause to make, in, make) haste(-n, -ily), (be) hasty, (fetch, make ready) X quickly, rash, X shortly, (be so) X soon, make speed, X speedily, X straightway, X suddenly, swift.
Niph`al Perfect3feminine singular נִמְהָ֑רָה Job 5:13; Participle נִמְהָר Habakkuk 1:6; plural נִמְהָרִים Isaiah 32:4; construct נִמְהֲרֵי Isaiah 35:4; — be hurried = anxious, disturbed נְמְהֲרֵילֵֿב Isaiah 35:4; hasty, precipitate, subject עֵצָה Job 5:13; so participle as substantive Isaiah 32:4; impetuous, of Chaldeans, Habakkuk 1:6 ("" מַר).
Pi`el Perfect מִהַר 1 Samuel 4:14; Isaiah 51:14; 3feminine singular מִהֲרָה Jeremiah 48:16 etc.; Imperfect יְמַהֵר Isaiah 5:19 2t.; וַיְמַהֵר Genesis 18:6 8t. (1 Sam 28:30 see below); 3 feminine plural תְּמַהֵרְנָה Jeremiah 9:17 etc.; Imperative masculine singular מַהֵר Genesis 19:22 +; מַהֲרָה 1 Samuel 23:27; 1 Kings 22:9, etc.; Infinitive construct מַהֵר Proverbs 7:23 +; Participle מְמַהֵר Genesis 41:32; Malachi 3:5 (on מַהֵר Zephaniah 1:14 [1 Samuel 23:22] compare Köi. 268 SchwZAW x. 1890, 176 see I. מַהֵר ), feminine plural מְמַהֲרוֺת Proverbs 6:18; —
1 hasten, make haste, = go or come quickly Genesis 18:6; 1 Samuel 9:12 ( but strike out m5 We Dr Kit Bu HPS), Nahum 2:6; Isaiah 49:17; 1 Chronicles 12:9; = go eagerly, (followed by Infinitive of purpose) Proverbs 1:16; Isaiah 59:7; Participle = swift, prompt Malachi 3:5; of bird Proverbs 7:23; figurative of calamity Isaiah 5:19 ("" חוּשׁ) Jeremiah 48:16, מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז Isaiah 8:1,3, below
2 hasten + verb, (׳מ having really adverbial force): followed by Infinitive Genesis 18:7 (מִהַר לַעֲשׂת); compare Genesis 27:20; Genesis 41:32 (subject God), Exodus 2:18; Exodus 10:16; Exodus 12:33; 2 Samuel 15:14; Isaiah 32:4; Isaiah 51:14; Proverbs 6:18; Ecclesiastes 5:1; more often followed by verb with ו Genesis 24:18,20,46; Genesis 44:11 (all J), Genesis 45:9,13 (E), probably Genesis 43:30 (J), also Exodus 34:8 (J), Joshua 4:10; Joshua 8:14,19 (all J E), Judges 13:10; 1 Samuel 4:14; 1 Samuel 17:48; 1 Samuel 23:27; 1 Samuel 25:18,23,34 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 28:24; 2 Samuel 15:14; 2 Samuel 19:17; 1 Kings 20:33,41; 2 Kings 9:13; Jeremiah 9:17; so even when active is not wholly voluntary 1 Samuel 28:20 (but read probably וַיִּבָּהֵל m5 We Dr Kit Bu); also, ו omitted, Psalm 106:13; especially with Imperative Genesis 19:22 (J), Judges 9:48; Esther 6:10; so also מַהֵר עֲנֵנִי Psalm 69:18; Psalm 102:3; Psalm 143:7; compare Psalm 79:8 (see Olon the passage).
3 transitive hasten, = prepare quickly Genesis 18:6; = bring quickly 1 Kings 22:9 2Chronicles 18:8; Esther 5:5; = do quickly 2Chronicles 24:5 (twice in verse).
I. מַהֵר adjective hastening, speedy, swift (strictly
Pi`el Participle for מְמַהֵר see below מהר); — of ׳יוֺם י, מְאד ׳קָרוֺב וּמ Zephaniah 1:14; read also feminine הַמְּהֵרָה (רַגְלוֺ) 1 Samuel 23:22 his swift foot (for ŋ0 רָאָהוּ ׳מִ ׳ר) Th We Dr Bu; deeper corruption assumed by HPS.
II. מַהֵר adverb quickly, speedily (strictly
Pi`el infinitive absolute) always immediately after verb; Exodus 32:8 (J), Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 7:4,22; Deuteronomy 9:3,12 (twice in verse); Deuteronomy 9:16; Deuteronomy 28:20; Joshua 2:5 (J), Judges 2:17,23; Proverbs 25:8 (on Psalm 69:18; Psalm 79:8; Psalm 102:3; Psalm 143:7, where ׳מ precedes, see above below מָהַר).
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The verb מָהַר describes the impulse to act with speed, urgency or eagerness. Whether the subject is a patriarch offering hospitality, a soldier rushing into battle, a nation falling into idolatry, or the Lord Himself bringing judgment or salvation, the word highlights decisions made without delay.
Distribution
Approximately sixty-four occurrences span Genesis to Zechariah. The usage is evenly divided between positive urgency (prompt obedience, quick help, eager service) and negative haste (rash sin, sudden judgment). The breadth of contexts underlines the moral weight Scripture assigns to how quickly one responds to God’s word.
Patriarchal Examples: Eager Service and Hospitality
• Genesis 18:6-7 pictures Abraham as the model host: "So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour...’ " His haste sprang from reverence for the LORD’s visitors and sets the pattern for prompt, willing service.
• Genesis 24:18-20 shows Rebekah "quickly" lowering her jar and running to draw water for Eliezer’s camels. The narrative commends diligence and self-forgetting kindness.
Exodus and Wilderness: Urgency for Deliverance and Warning
• Exodus 12:33 records Egypt "urging the people to hurry and leave the land." Haste here is tied to redemption; Israel departs so quickly that the dough rises on the road, memorialized in the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
• Conversely, Exodus 32:8 laments Israel’s apostasy: "How quickly they have turned aside from the way I commanded them." The same verb that praised prompt obedience now indicts restless rebellion.
Covenant Sanctions in Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy employs מָהַר to warn that disobedience will bring swift retribution (Deuteronomy 4:26; 28:20). The implied covenant ethic is clear: the speed with which a nation abandons Yahweh will be matched by the speed of divine discipline.
Military and Royal Contexts
• Joshua 10:6; Judges 9:48; 1 Samuel 20:38; 2 Chronicles 18:8 illustrate battlefield or court settings where life depends on rapid movement. Kings and commanders who "hurry" to obey prophetic counsel fare well; those who hurry toward self-willed plans court disaster.
Psalms and Wisdom Literature: Devotion versus Idolatry
• Psalm 119:60 celebrates disciplined zeal: "I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments."
• Psalm 16:4 warns that "Sorrows will multiply to those who chase after other gods." Here מָהַר depicts frantic idolatry contrasted with steadfast trust.
Proverbs echoes the theme with related imagery of feet that "run swiftly to evil," reinforcing the moral dimension of haste.
Prophets: Longing for God to Act—And His Swift Judgment
• Isaiah 5:19 records scoffers demanding, "Let Him hurry and speed His work," a taunt soon answered by real, catastrophic judgment.
• Zechariah 8:21 pictures nations exhorting one another, "Let us go at once to seek the LORD," turning haste into a hopeful missionary impulse.
Divine Initiative
While most occurrences describe human action, several attribute haste to God. Psalm 70:1 pleads, "Hasten, O God, to deliver me." The prophets likewise announce a day when the LORD will "act quickly" for His people (Isaiah 60:22). The tension between human impatience and divine timing calls believers to earnest prayer coupled with trust.
Ministry Significance
1. Prompt Obedience: Scripture commends the believer who "hurries" to obey (Psalm 119:60). Delayed obedience is functionally disobedience.
2. Urgent Hospitality and Service: Abraham and Rebekah model ministry that moves quickly to meet needs, sacrificing personal comfort.
3. Caution against Rashness: Israel’s swift apostasy (Exodus 32:8) and Judah’s headlong idolatry (Psalm 16:4) warn leaders against decisions driven by impulse rather than God’s word.
4. Expectant Prayer: Repeated cries for God to "hasten" encourage earnest, faith-filled intercession while acknowledging His sovereign timetable.
5. Eschatological Vigilance: New Testament exhortations to "be ready" echo the Old Testament call for holy haste, reminding the Church that the Day of the Lord will come "like a thief."
Application
Believers are summoned to the same holy urgency displayed by the faithful throughout Scripture—quick to serve, quick to repent, quick to obey—while resisting the destructive hurry of unbelief and presumption. In ministry settings, the question is not merely how fast we move, but whether our speed aligns with the purposes of God revealed in His word.
Genesis 18:6
HEB: שָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙
NAS: and said, Quickly, prepare three
KJV: and said, Make ready quickly three
INT: Sarah and said Quickly three measures
Genesis 18:7
HEB: אֶל־ הַנַּ֔עַר וַיְמַהֵ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹתֽוֹ׃
NAS: [it] to the servant, and he hurried to prepare
KJV: [it] unto a young man; and he hasted to dress
INT: to the servant hurried to prepare
Genesis 19:22
HEB: מַהֵר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט שָׁ֔מָּה
NAS: Hurry, escape there,
KJV: Haste thee, escape
INT: Hurry escape there
Genesis 24:18
HEB: שְׁתֵ֣ה אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתֹּ֧רֶד כַּדָּ֛הּ
NAS: my lord; and she quickly lowered
KJV: my lord: and she hasted, and let down
INT: Drink my lord quickly lowered her jar
Genesis 24:20
HEB: וַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתְּעַ֤ר כַּדָּהּ֙
NAS: So she quickly emptied her jar
KJV: And she hasted, and emptied
INT: quickly emptied her jar
Genesis 24:46
HEB: וַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתּ֤וֹרֶד כַּדָּהּ֙
NAS: She quickly lowered her jar
KJV: And she made haste, and let down
INT: quickly lowered her jar
Genesis 27:20
HEB: מַה־ זֶּ֛ה מִהַ֥רְתָּ לִמְצֹ֖א בְּנִ֑י
NAS: is it that you have [it] so quickly, my son?
KJV: How [is it] that thou hast found [it] so quickly, my son?
INT: How he quickly you have to his son
Genesis 41:32
HEB: מֵעִ֣ם הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמְמַהֵ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃
NAS: and God will quickly bring it about.
KJV: and God will shortly bring it to pass.
INT: by God will quickly and God bring
Genesis 43:30
HEB: וַיְמַהֵ֣ר יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּֽי־
NAS: Joseph hurried [out] for he was deeply
KJV: And Joseph made haste; for his bowels
INT: hurried Joseph for
Genesis 44:11
HEB: וַֽיְמַהֲר֗וּ וַיּוֹרִ֛דוּ אִ֥ישׁ
NAS: Then they hurried, each man
KJV: Then they speedily took down every man
INT: hurried lowered each
Genesis 45:9
HEB: מַהֲרוּ֮ וַעֲל֣וּ אֶל־
NAS: Hurry and go up to my father,
KJV: Haste ye, and go up to my father,
INT: Hurry and go to
Genesis 45:13
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְאִיתֶ֑ם וּמִֽהַרְתֶּ֛ם וְהוֹרַדְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־
NAS: that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring
KJV: and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down
INT: you have seen hurry and bring my father
Exodus 2:18
HEB: וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיּֽוֹם׃
NAS: have you come [back] so soon today?
KJV: [is it that] ye are come so soon to day?
INT: said Why soon come age
Exodus 10:16
HEB: וַיְמַהֵ֣ר פַּרְעֹ֔ה לִקְרֹ֖א
NAS: Then Pharaoh hurriedly called
KJV: and Aaron in haste; and he said,
INT: hurriedly Pharaoh called
Exodus 12:33
HEB: עַל־ הָעָ֔ם לְמַהֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּחָ֣ם מִן־
NAS: them out of the land in haste, for they said,
KJV: them out of the land in haste; for they said,
INT: and the people haste to send out
Exodus 34:8
HEB: וַיְמַהֵ֖ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּקֹּ֥ד
NAS: Moses made haste to bow low toward
KJV: And Moses made haste, and bowed his head
INT: made Moses to bow
Joshua 4:10
HEB: אֶת־ יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ וַיְמַהֲר֥וּ הָעָ֖ם וַֽיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃
NAS: And the people hurried and crossed;
KJV: and the people hasted and passed over.
INT: Moses Joshua hurried and the people and crossed
Joshua 8:14
HEB: מֶֽלֶךְ־ הָעַ֗י וַֽיְמַהֲר֡וּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ
NAS: of the city hurried and rose up early
KJV: saw [it], that they hasted and rose up early,
INT: the king of Ai hurried and rose and went
Joshua 8:19
HEB: הָעִ֖יר וַֽיִּלְכְּד֑וּהָ וַֽיְמַהֲר֔וּ וַיַּצִּ֥יתוּ אֶת־
NAS: and captured it, and they quickly set
KJV: and took it, and hasted and set
INT: the city and captured quickly set the city
Judges 9:48
HEB: רְאִיתֶם֙ עָשִׂ֔יתִי מַהֲר֖וּ עֲשׂ֥וּ כָמֽוֹנִי׃
NAS: me do, hurry [and] do
KJV: me do, make haste, [and] do
INT: have seen do hurry do likewise
Judges 13:10
HEB: וַתְּמַהֵר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתָּ֖רָץ
NAS: ran quickly and told
KJV: And the woman made haste, and ran,
INT: quickly her husband ran
1 Samuel 4:14
HEB: הַזֶּ֑ה וְהָאִ֣ישׁ מִהַ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֖א וַיַּגֵּ֥ד
NAS: came hurriedly and told
KJV: came in hastily, and told
INT: of this the man hurriedly came and told
1 Samuel 9:12
HEB: הִנֵּ֣ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַהֵ֣ר ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֤י
NAS: [he is] ahead of you. Hurry now,
KJV: behold, [he is] before you: make haste now, for he came
INT: is see ahead Hurry now for
1 Samuel 17:48
HEB: לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֑ד וַיְמַהֵ֣ר דָּוִ֔ד וַיָּ֥רָץ
NAS: ran quickly toward the battle line
KJV: that David hasted, and ran
INT: to meet David quickly David ran
64 Occurrences
Strong's Hebrew 4116
64 Occurrences
kə·ma·hêr — 1 Occ.
lə·ma·hêr — 2 Occ.
lə·nim·hă·rê- — 1 Occ.
ma·hă·rāh — 2 Occ.
ma·hă·rî — 1 Occ.
ma·hă·rū — 5 Occ.
ma·hêr — 4 Occ.
mə·ma·hă·rō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
mə·ma·hêr — 1 Occ.
mi·har — 2 Occ.
mi·hă·rāh — 1 Occ.
mi·hart — 1 Occ.
mi·har·tā — 1 Occ.
mi·har·ten — 1 Occ.
mi·hă·rū — 3 Occ.
nim·hā·rāh — 1 Occ.
nim·hā·rîm — 1 Occ.
tə·ma·hă·rū — 1 Occ.
tə·ma·hêr — 1 Occ.
ū·mə·ma·hêr — 1 Occ.
ū·mi·har·tem — 1 Occ.
ū·ṯə·ma·hê·rə·nāh — 1 Occ.
wat·tə·ma·hêr — 8 Occ.
way·ma·hă·rū — 6 Occ.
way·ma·hêr — 9 Occ.
wə·han·nim·hār — 1 Occ.
wî·ma·hă·rū — 2 Occ.
yə·ma·hă·rū — 1 Occ.
yə·ma·hêr — 3 Occ.